UPPER DARBY – A firefighter suffered an unknown medical issue, at least two families were displaced and a beloved pet dog perished following a three-alarm blaze that affected five Croyden Road row homes Friday afternoon.

Dorothy Evans and her son, 21-year-old Hakeem Newell-Moffitt, stood across the street from their fire-ravaged residence at 428 Croyden Road, where authorities said the accidental fire broke out shortly after 3 p.m. and drew as many as 100 first responders to the Stonehurst Hills neighborhood.

“I went to (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) to visit my grandson. My son called and said, ‘the house is on fire’,” Evans, 60, said.

“I was cooking on the stove,” said Newell-Moffitt, adding that he took a nap soon after eating his lunch. He said he thought he had everything turned off on the stove.

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At press time, authorities confirmed the fire was ruled accidental, due to unattended cooking.

Newell-Moffitt, who resided in the house with his mother and her husband, Antonio Evans, was alone except for the family pets - a 6-year-old bichon/poodle mix named Mason that perished in the blaze, and a cat named Dixon that was found unharmed under the porch after being unaccounted for for several hours.

Nicole Payton of Brookhaven gave Mason to her mother as a Mother’s Day gift.

“She’s more upset about losing Mason than losing everything else,” Payton said. “I’m going to get her another dog right away, but it won’t ever replace Mason. Mason was family.”

Payton said her young son had suffered a seizure and Evans had only been at CHOP for about 10 minutes when she received the phone call.

The fire started in the kitchen at 428 Croyden, and spread to properties on either side, causing significant damages. The corner property at 430 Croyden was occupied; while the property at 426 Croyden was vacant but undergoing renovations, according to Upper Darby Police Capt. Thomas A. Johnson.

Properties at 424 and 422 Croyden sustained smoke damage but remained habitable, although it was unknown as to when residents would be permitted to return, said Deputy Fire Chief Jim Shuster, who was in command of the scene.

According to Johnson, multiple calls were made to 911 reporting the blaze.

Police who were first on the scene found 428 Croyden “heavily involved in fire and spreading to adjacent houses in the rear,” Johnson said.

A strong acrid odor swept the tree-lined street, portions of which had been roped off with yellow tape. Onlookers gathered on porches and along the curb to watch firefighters.

Due to climate conditions, all firefighters were pre-treated for possible heat exhaustion. A Sharon Hill Fire Department firefighter was taken to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital where he was treated for an unknown medical condition and released, authorities said.

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Red Cross offered assistance to six individuals, including Evans and her family, authorities said.

Red Paw Relief Team, the Red Cross for Animals, posted on Twitter that two cats had been safely returned to family impacted by the Upper Darby fire.

Despite the devastating loss, Payton said at press time, “It will get better.” She also indicated that her son, gratefully, was on the mend.